Australian Off-road Campers closes

Hi Roving Oz
That was probably the bloke I spoke to. He locked the gate as I drove off. It was also just on the local Sunshine Coast news. After celebrating 25 years in business last year it is disappointing to see a local business go under.

Could you please tell me the name of the new Facebook group? I can’t find it. Thanks.

Australian Off Road (AOR) Owners, but, it's locked down as private to 'owners only' now.

Thanks that was an interesting video but you must watch to end. Agree on two main points:
1. Never buy depreciating items you cant afford… we cant believe the 20 something year olds driving around $300k rigs!
2. There are far too brands on the road!These numbers in video explain it.
Michelle

Michelle. Maybe the answer to number 1,

How can they afford it ?

That can be a way to ‘Phoenix’ (rise from the ashes), with no past debts or obligations and a clean slate to begin again.

Looks like there was a review with ASIC and their registration was renewed a few days before the receivers moved in AOR HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Using an escrow would stop these companies from using your money to build the previous orders van which wouldn't work the way they run their finances like a pyramid scheme.
When you buy a new car especially one that will take XX months to be made you don't have to make "progress" payments at intervals, only a final payment on delivery is required.

It's a case of buyer beware in the open market. It's up to you to check if the retailer uses an escrow arrangement or not. If he does not, then run like mad and find a daler that does.

Great I can't feel sorry for the owner who doesn't blame himself but everything else around him when he knew what was going on which he mentioned. It's a big part of the job to keep and eye on things like wages, sales booms which often slump after time price increases innovations and other companies in the market sounds like a cop out.
As long as everyone gets their money back he can then reflect on how many people's lives he has effected when he could have acted sooner and come up with a plan that didn't suddenly see his employees out the gate and customers in a panic hoping they get their money back.

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Here is more coverage from our local Sunshine Coast News. It contains an extended expression from AOR's owner, Steve Budden, which shows that he is standing proud of the company and products that he created. In contrast to some others in this predicament who disappear from public exposure. Maybe our judgements should wait for a later time?

Only read a bit into it and straight away on average the wages in NSW, Vic are equal to or slightly higher than QLD depending on the job, opposite to their claim. On average rental is comparable to NSW, VIC coastal towns but northern NSW is more expensive Byron, Ballina etc. Just going by the research I done and didn’t put a twist on it to suit. I expect it would cost more to be in populated coastal areas anywhere around the country compared to regional areas for various reason that goes for all or most businesses.
I wouldn't be slightly sceptical about what they say their in damage control at the moment.
If they post true and correct information people are less likely to judge them harshly.
See what happens for all the people who are owed money in the end that's what matters the most.

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There is a very poignant video here from Luke Sutton of Drifter Drawers. It illustrates the increasingly difficult times that Australian manufacturers and small business is going through and unlikely to recover from.
And it is not just poorly managed businesses that are suffering. The hardships of running stable and well managed businesses affect even those such as AOR and Drifta Drawers.

I witnessed the rot beginning 70 years ago with the loss of our agricultural machinery industry to overseas competition who were largely benefitting from Australian inventiveness and development. The Australian government has done very little to support our manufacturers and were more interested in encouraging overseas investment in mining with quick but minimal profits to the Australian economy.
It continues, as Luke outlines, in the burdens of small business and we are left at the mercy of countries such as China.
I don't question 'where will it all end?' ………. I 'm certain that I know.

I was watching Landline today they were talking to 2 farm owners that extract and sell eucalyptus oil. They both have spent millions to remain competitive so they can keep their business running.
They mentioned have to compete with China that manufacturers a lesser grade of eucalyptus oil at a cheaper price. Hopefully the Australian farmers won't go anywhere soon and can keep on handing the business down through the generations.

My first job. I worked for Horwood Bagshaw for 7 years in the late 60s, early 70s in Adelaide. GONE.
I went from there to Chrysler. GONE.
Mind you, a decent car plant produces more cars in a week than Chrysler made in a year and the caravan manufacturing industry in Australia is best described as a "cottage industry".
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Horwood Bagshaw still exists. From duck.ai :-

Horwood Bagshaw was an Australian agricultural-machinery manufacturer, not a person. Its roots go back to John Stokes Bagshaw, who established the Pioneer Works in Adelaide in 1838 and became known for making farm implements, including early harvesting and winnowing machines. In 1924, Bagshaw’s business merged with J. H. Horwood & Co., founded by engineer Joseph Henry Horwood, creating Horwood Bagshaw Ltd.

The company became a major South Australian manufacturer of ploughs, harvesters, balers, cultivators, air seeders and other farm equipment. It moved its main operations from Adelaide to Mannum in 1974, where it became an important local employer.

In 2018, Horwood Bagshaw was acquired and integrated into CNH Industrial, the global company behind brands such as Case IH, New Holland and Flexi-Coil. For a time, its machinery was to be incorporated into CNH’s Flexi-Coil tillage and seeding portfolio, while the Horwood Bagshaw name continued to be used in the Australian market.

What happened recently is a major downsizing, rather than a complete disappearance. In July 2026, CNH stopped manufacturing most Horwood Bagshaw-branded seeding and cultivation equipment at Mannum and shifted that production to Cowra, New South Wales. Sixteen Mannum workers lost their jobs; a smaller team remained to assemble Flexi-Coil equipment and manage logistics. CNH said the Mannum site itself had not closed.

The Horwood Bagshaw brand still exists, with equipment sold through Australian dealers, and its current website advertises air seeders, Scaribars, grader-scrapers and precision-seeding systems. So, in short: a historic South Australian machinery company was absorbed by CNH and its Mannum manufacturing operation was substantially reduced, but the brand and products continue.

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Thank you Peter. I had not realised that Horwood Bagshaw had lasted so long. I thought they had perished along with their contemporary companies.

My point still holds however. There are no longer major companies developing significant agricultural machinery in Australia. Several smaller makers of support machines but not the big stuff that John Deere and the like sell us in volume.

"I went from there to Chrysler. GONE.
Mind you, a decent car plant produces more cars in a week than Chrysler made in a year"

Peter (OKA)

A number of years ago I was in Japan and visited one of Toyota's car manufacturing plants ( it produced Corollas ) and it had 7,000 workers/staff. At the same time my son-in-law worked for Holdens at Elizabeth where the workers/staff totalled 6,000. Hanging from the centre of the factory roof at the Corolla plant was a giant three sided sign which read - "Days lost to sickness and accident so far this year 27" and underneath was "Days lost to sickness and accident last year 35" .... it was mid October !

When I got back to Australia and I told this to my son-in-law he just laughed and said we have on average 100 people off work everyday here at the Elizabeth plant !

And some people can't work out why manufacturing is dying in Australia !

Happy and safe travels (but not in an Aussie made car )

Cheers
Gazz

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Hi Gazz,

100 off work in a staff of 6,000 is only 1.6% after all and probably about normal for many an Australian workplace. It's the Great Australian Sickie and an ingrained consideration of the rights of Australian workers. In budgeting the man-hours on project estimations I regularly allowed for 2% lost time due to unapproved absence.
It is just one of the reasons why this Great Country of Ours is so poorly competitive in commerce. But it sure is a great place to live, isn't it?

At one place I worked the management proposed to combine the sickness allowance with the annual leave allowance but only valid if the employee lodged prior application. The polled employees thought it a great idea but the unions would have none of it.

Had a chuckle once when a worker called in sick then a furniture salesperson phoned me to validate that my employee actually worked for me for the purposes of hire-purchase application. The look on the face of my employee next day was classic when I asked if he had chosen some nice furniture.

"Happy and safe travels (but not in an Aussie made car )"
Thanks Gazz.
Some years back now, I had a half day tour and a discussion with some execs. at the Nissan Zama plant while they were still building vehicles there. The whole mindset is very different.

As far as our travels, the OKA was in fact conceived, designed and built in Australia. :)
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Hi Stephen,
You have touched on one of the problems of running a business. When it is just you, and possibly one or two others in the business, it is possible even if difficult to weather a storm by tightening your belt. But when you employ many people, and tough times come upon the business, it is impossible to pay all the wages and maintain rent and the loans for equipment etc.. So the business, no matter how good it was, just folds. Small businesses often become larger businesses and the owners are virtually trapped in the role as the owner. Their dedication is their folly.

I ran a business for 10 years as a consulting engineer based on succesive contractual engagements. The only capital I needed was my car, a pencil and a calculator. The business (just me) was quite successful and returned a good income. However I predicted the approaching end of the good construction years and pre-emptively retired without needing to consider the welfare of employees or any investment in plant. I was fortunate but some are not so lucky. Being in business can be a risky game.